bgr_823636 - MACEDONIA - AMPHIPOLIS Tétradrachme stéphanophore

MACEDONIA - Amphipolis

(Second century BC)

Amphipolis, Athenian colony was founded in 436 BC to protect and exploit the very important silver mines in the hinterland to the mouth of the Strymon. During the Peloponnesian War, the city was besieged and taken by Brasidas who also was killed during the battle, (Thucydides V, chap. VI-XI). The city regained its independence with a magnificent civic mint between 410 and 357 represents the right a beautiful young Apollo. Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great captured the city and silver mines in 357 BC During the next two centuries, Amphipolis was the main workshop of the Macedonian kings. After Cynoscephalae, the workshop was an autonomous coinage, composed of tetroboles. The last phase of coinage began after the defeat of Perseus and the organization of the kingdom into four republics. Andriscus, who claimed to be the illegitimate son of Perseus rose against the Romans in 148 BC He was finally defeated by Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica in 147 BC The following year, 146 BC - C., Macedonia became a Roman province.